I am basically doing a complete restoration on every part of my car. The trans is back burnered for now so I got a very nice used trans from mepstein and cleaned it up. So looking for opinion. I am going to replace all the hardware because its cheap and helps to make it look nicer. I was going to paint it with cerakote then change the hardware. Now I am second guessing the paint. What do all of you think?

Note that my other trans will get a full rebuild and cosmetic restoration at a later date.Click to view attachment

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As it is a spare or temporary transmission, why not try the paint on it to see if you like the look? If you don't then skip in when you refurb your original.

Thats a good point.

Gibbs is my preferred when I rarely clean these things. However, I have had success with Rustoleum Hammerite (I think that is the name). Its the stuff for yard furniture. I'm still down to do a deal with ya on the rebuild for some custom heater work on the headers for the bus

That will be the spare. I know the spare needs the side shift nose cone as the ears are broken off the spare.

Does the Gibbs spray oil remain sticky or does it feel dry on the metal.

Feels like WD-40

I use Gibbs on my 930 fan, it gets hot in there, seems like I have to reapply every month or two...

I’m for the cerakote... please post results...

Eastwood AlumaBlast looks awesome. Not sure on the durability. Going back and forth on doing my Alfa trans. Worth a try if it's a spare.

https://www.eastwood.com/ew-aluma-blast-pai...osol-12-oz.html

The cerikote that Ben uses is a big step up from normal paint. It’s pretty immune to solvents and very scratch resistant.

I still have a bunch of 'Magnesium Grey' epoxy primer I could shoot for ya...

imho, any coating is better than exposed magnesium alloy. brit bike manufacturers in the 50's and 60's used a fair amount of mag castings on their race bikes. matchless g50, ajs 7r's) engine covers, hubs, etc. everything was painted to combat oxidation. mag oxidzes quickly if not treated. I don't recall the paint they used but was gold and formulated for mag alloy. after cleaning and drying I would paint the case. cerokote seems like a step up and am going to try it. even the clear makes more sense than leaving it exposed.

Definitely looking into the Cerakote. Looks interesting. Pricey, but could perform. Again, the main issue is surface and substrate prep. How to get all the old oils out of the metal you are painting, and if it matters to the stuff you are using. What Mark has done makes a lot of sense in that it forms a cocoon, pretty much. So, some impurities causing some adhesion issues is less of a deal.

We’ve used cerikote quite a bit in the last year. Like anything, prep is important. The nice thing is that it’s such a micro thin layer, you don’t loose any detail.


If you have a trans that is worth some money, I wouldn’t paint it. It does ruin the value of the case and a sale price will reflect it. Just use Gibbs or something similar. If you are building a trans for yourself and want pretty with no worry for resale, go to town with paint, powdercoat, whatever.

This morning I glass bead blasted the trans. Turnes out nice.. This evening I will Cerakote it and also finish bedliner under my car so things can start to go together..

I have recently glass bead blasted a tranny case after silicone sealing any all possible areas for intrusion of the grit. Let the silicone set well and good overnight and the beads bounce off when blasting and do not trash your trans-innards. The finish is stunning but temporary......... a few days at best.

Two part Epoxy based paint works well and is mixable in any color you desire / and I agree with the comment about values / the purist like the patina of the original base metals exposed to the elements over 45 years........ I like something I can put on the lift, pressure wash, and drive another thousand miles without thinking about it.

maybe you guys missed my point or perhaps I did not elucidate clearly, the coating on the cases is not merely cosmetic. mag alloy oxidizers fairly quickly, the coating is to shield it from oxidizing. thoses familiar with 914's generally pretty diligent about oxidation (rust) on the rest of the car, because it leads to critical failures and the scrapp heap. I ask why would the trans case be any different? especially when the alloy it is constructed of is much less resistant to oxidation. would I want an nos case that was cast and not coated 45 years later, not if it was sitting in the dessert.

I agree.

Also most may not know this but I deal with a great deal of magnesium welding weekly. I have seen it all. Sometimes it welds sometimes it's to far gone..

Either way some coating is required.

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Blasted.

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Painted in Cerakote titanium.. Only because thats what I had laying around.

Ben, What Cerakote product was this? How much Cerakote did this take? Was it two part or one part? How did you apply it?

I ask because the Cerakote web site has several different products, some two part and some single part. Also a brief internet check shows Cerakote being sold in 4 oz portions, while most aerosol paints are sold in 12 oz cans.

Thanks. And sorry for so many questions.

I like the look

That color would look sick on my Mini-Lites so I'm interested in the information also.

I buy cerakote testers (size) in which ever color I am shooting. Only took a few oz and it is applied with a touch up spray gun. No thinners and its their air cure product. About 35 dollars for 4 oz of it.